DENSITY'S DARLINGS / Many active older adults want to live in a city environment close to shopping, cultural events and transportation

Amelia Glynn, Special to The Chronicle

Published
4:00 am PDT, Sunday, April 29, 2007

The Frank Norris Place condominiums for active adults 55 and over in San Francisco, Calif. on Friday, April 20, 2007.
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The Frank Norris Place condominiums for active adults 55 and over in San Francisco, Calif. on Friday, April 20, 2007.
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The Frank Norris Place condominiums for active adults 55 and over in San Francisco, Calif. on Friday, April 20, 2007.
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The Frank Norris Place condominiums for active adults 55 and over in San Francisco, Calif. on Friday, April 20, 2007.
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Photo: PAUL CHINN

DENSITY'S DARLINGS / Many active older adults want to live in a city environment close to shopping, cultural events and transportation

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Jeanne Powell doesn't like to talk about her age. She's been "in her 40s" for more than a decade and likes it that way. But recently, the prospect of owning a condo in one of San Francisco's newest 55-and-older communities has her admitting (albeit quietly) her senior status.

Frank Norris Place was built for active seniors willing to forgo the pool and country club for easy access to museums, theaters, restaurants and other urban perks. Named after naturalist writer Benjamin Franklin Norris and his namesake alley, it's at 1314 Polk Street between Pine and Bush streets at the heart of the newly designated Polk Village.

"This is a great neighborhood for people who are physically active and who plan to be for a long time," said Powell, one of the growing number of Baby Boomers who are reinventing the kind of housing they want to live in for the rest of their lives. They are finding a new way to age, as far away from the confines of traditional nursing homes as possible.

The four-story, 32-unit mixed-use building features wide, wheelchair-friendly hallways, a courtyard that wraps around the building, and floor-to-ceiling bay windows that enable residents to see both street and sky, even while seated. The developers worked closely with the planning department to preserve the original brick facade of what had been a 1-story coffeehouse to help ensure that the new building's contemporary design fit well with the neighborhood.

No health care or senior services are connected with the project, but St. Francis Hospital is two blocks away on Hyde Street.

What was once Tenderloin territory is now Polk Village. This is advertised by signs funded by the Polk Corridor Business Association that feature a firm handshake and the words, "A good place to work, shop, live." (Business owners changed the name from Polk Gulch last year to further sever the area's perceived ties with the Tenderloin.)

The ubiquitous liquor stores now share the street space with wine bars and restaurants like O'Reilly's Holy Grail (in the historic Mayes Oyster House). The Leland Tea Company, a swanky loose-leaf teahouse, is around the corner on Bush Street.

"The city is very pro-Polk in terms of redevelopment," said Vanguard Real Estate agent Frank Nolan, who represents the Frank Norris property. He is marketing the new condos to lifelong renters and empty nesters. According to Nolan, between 17 and 20 percent of people who buy condos are 55 and older.

But don't expect any senior discounts. These condos are for well-off, young-at-heart Boomers who want an investment in the city or who are no longer keen on shouldering the responsibility of a big house in the suburbs. Prices range from $449,000 to $629,000 for the 521- to 806-square-foot units. That equals $780 to $861 per square foot. The 12 parking spots go for an additional $50,000 each.

In some cases, Nolan is walking seniors through the home-buying process for the first time. And, he said, about 10 percent of applicants are getting some kind of financial assistance from their children, who often take equity out of their homes.

Powell, an author, poet and longtime city activist, has lived in San Francisco for more than 30 years and has never owned property. Now she's decided she may be ready to take the plunge.

She first learned about Frank Norris Place when architect and co-developer Ian Birchall introduced himself and the project at a Nob Hill neighborhood association meeting. She has been looking for a condo in Nob Hill in the $400,000 range -- a relative bargain in San Francisco.

"Frank Norris Place sounded unique," she said. And if anyone should know, it's Powell. She's visited pretty much every new housing development (senior and otherwise) between Polk and Larkin and Sutter and Clay streets, along with being a regular at Sunday open houses, for the past five years.

For Powell, owning something that feels part of a community is important. Having access to public transit is also a must. She likes the idea of being around people of all ages, but wants to live in a building where the neighbors are considerate, don't leave bikes or strollers in the hallways, and take time to check up on each other. Plus, she's a big fan of the hardwood floors, spacious bathrooms and the small building at Frank Norris Place. The prospect of owning property that's still under warranty is also appealing.

Frank Norris Place wasn't always planned as an age-restricted development. Developer Parker Sorg purchased the property in late 1999 -- around the time building material prices shot skyward. He quickly realized that building the 16 two-bedroom units for which the property was zoned would not be profitable. The fact that there was only room for 12 parking spots in the basement of the building further limited the number of condos he could build. (The city requires one-to-one parking in market-rate developments.)

Then Sorg discovered section 207.4(b) of the city Planning Code, known as the density bonus. This would allow him to double the density of the development to 32 one-bedroom units if the condos were designated for seniors.

"Many people who reach retirement don't want to go to suburbia, especially when their friends and family and work colleagues are in the city," Sorg said. And although two-bedroom condos are often easier to sell, many single seniors and those looking to pay less than $500,000 aren't deterred by the size of the one-bedroom units.

Historically, nonprofit organizations and affordable-housing developers have employed this little-known code section in exchange for government assistance. Frank Norris Place appears to be the only for-profit development in San Francisco putting it to the test.

When the density bonus is used in for-profit developments, there are no mandates regarding prices or mortgage interest rates, and anyone can purchase them as long as one person who is 55 or older lives there. This enables children to purchase the units for their aging parents.

Enforcement of the age requirement is primarily left to residents and members of the condo association.

Scott Falcone, director of development for Citizen's Housing Corporation, a nonprofit affordable-housing developer, said denser neighborhoods, where there isn't a lot of room for courtyards and gardens -- or parking -- are good options for seniors because they often have a lower impact on their environment.

"Places like Frank Norris provide a valuable resource for seniors who are unable or don't want to continue to maintain their homes," he said, "although it's obviously not a publicly oriented development."

If these condos allow someone an opportunity to stay near their families when they otherwise could not, Falcone said, it's a good thing. "Using the density code is a powerful tool for providing denser housing developments for seniors with less parking in transit-rich neighborhoods."

Mark Irwin, 54, and his partner Barry Tupis, 55, moved to Vallejo in 2001. After four years of life in suburbia, they decided it had been "a horrible mistake" and began making plans to move back to the city.

"We thought we wanted a big house with a garden and a garage," Irwin said. "Once we had it all, I thought, 'What am I doing here?' I'm 55 years old, for Christ's sake, and my back is killing me. A house is endless work." Irwin also laments the loss of the sense of community he felt in the city. "I knew my neighbors and felt like I belonged." He hopes to find that again, perhaps this time in a senior-oriented community.

He and Tupis have been looking for the right place for more than two years. They recently toured Frank Norris Place, but think it's too expensive, considering the small units. They've also researched below-market-rate senior housing but concluded that landing such a place would be the equivalent of winning the lottery. Irwin said there are fewer condos on the market today than at any other time during their search, and very few under $600,000.

Architect Birchall and developer Sorg are confident their project will be a success, despite the slump in the housing market and glut of new condos in San Francisco.

"We build in unique areas, like the Marina, Polk Village, Fisherman's Wharf -- away from the condo craze of South of Market," Sorg said. "These are all places where you can walk out the door and have everything you need. We also focus on the development of smaller buildings that are incorporated into their surrounding neighborhoods."

Dennis Engalla is single and works in the Financial District. He and his siblings want to move their elderly mother, who suffers from mild dementia, from her three-bedroom home in the South Bay to the city so they can help take care of her.

"Frank Norris is so nice and modern," he said. He likes the idea of having his mother live independently among other seniors. "We would only put her in assisted care if it were totally necessary," he said. Frank Norris is close to his office, so he would be able to check in on her during his lunch hour.

"Polk Street is a really trendy street," he said. "It's good to see that seniors are being incorporated into the mainstream." He also says it's a good idea to show younger folks that they can still have an active, urban lifestyle when they're older.

For now, Engalla and his mother have put negotiations on hold. The price of the condo plus the association fees (about $380 a month) was too steep for them.

"My mom wants to be sure she has enough money saved to pay for her health care," he said. He hopes prices drop at the end of the year if the condos are still on the market.

Powell is looking into financing and hopes to be able to make an offer on a Frank Norris Place condo soon. "Either I'll arrange proper financing or I won't buy," she said. In other words, no loans of the exotic variety.

Buying her own place will mean having more control, she said, and people relate to each other differently when they've personally invested in the building and neighborhood where they live. "I won't be at the mercy of owners or managers," she said. "So many people who purchase property do it for investment reasons only. They invest in property, not people."

She is optimistic that she will be able to make a first-time home purchase in the neighborhood she loves. "I believe this miracle can happen."

Not going gently

Half of the 77 million Boomers -- people born between 1946 and 1964 -- will be 52 or older this year. And many of them are pooh-poohing the tranquil lifestyles offered by more-traditional senior communities.

36 percent of Boomers will move or plan to move when they become empty nesters.

55 percent say they will move when they retire.

44 percent want a smaller house and one that requires less maintenance.

26 percent will consider purchasing a home in an age-qualified active adult community.

30 percent of Boomers who are considering buying a home in such a community prefer an urban location.